#i ended ul not eating the cucumber mayo bread

[humanteethmarksonhumanbone]

having very deep philosophical thoughts about this stupid cucumber mayo toast

[taraketo]

My Keto Guide

In progress.

Reddit is a great resource for keto information. Here is their overview: https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq

It seems like a lot to learn at first, but once you get the hang of it it's really easy.

Macros

Macros are the amounts of protein, carbs, and fat you need on a daily basis. The total amounts and the ratio are both important. You want to get the majority of your calories from fat, which is easiest done by adding butter/oil to veggies and meats, or having a salad with dressing. It's really easier than it sounds, because a small amount of fat has a lot of calories. Most importantly, eating this way should keep you feeling full for longer, which is what helps you lose weight.

Use the keto calculator to determine your macros and track your food for at least the first few weeks. This will give you a general idea about whether you're on the right track and will help you learn the macros of certain foods you eat. I use an app called Cronometer. I tend to track my food a few days a week to make sure I'm still doing it right.

Get a scale!! Humans are so bad at estimating portion sizes. Especially for high calorie things like nuts, nut butters, and cheese. I've also found it to make baking so much easier... no more wasting a thousand measuring cups and way more precise.

Protein: Reach this goal, don't exceed it.

Net Carbs: Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols. This goal is a maximum.

Fat: Use this goal to fill the remainder of your calories. If you aren't hungry, you don't need to reach this goal.

Electrolytes

On a keto diet you need to supplement sodium, potassium, and magnesium or you're going to have a bad time. Getting enough electrolytes is super important! If you're feeling tired, you probably need more salt. If you have leg cramps, you probably need more potassium.

Sodium: 5000mg

Potassium: 1000mg

Magnesium: 300mg

My electrolyte plan

¼ teaspoon of Lite Salt in water a few times per day. Don’t take more potassium than this at one time or you will get explosive diarrhea and/or heart palpitations. Potassium is serious business.

200mg magnesium before bed

Salt food generously

Mug of broth (1tsp Better than Bouillon) 1-2x per day

Avocado and spinach regularly for extra potassium

Salty foods like pickles and olives for extra sodium

Food

Google "keto food guide" for a comprehensive overview of what you can and can't eat. Here are some things I eat regularly.

Vegetables

Broccoli

Romaine lettuce

Bok Choy

Spinach

Arugula

Asparagus

Zucchini

Avocado (Yeah, this is a fruit. Whatever.)

Cucumber

Okra

Green Peppers

Brussels sprouts

Kale

Fruit

Some fruits are okay in small amounts.

Blackberries

Strawberries

Raspberries

Tomatoes

Nuts and seeds

Super high calorie, so make sure you weigh these if you're watching calories.

Pecans

Macadamia nuts

Walnuts

Brazil nuts

Hazelnuts

Pumpkin seeds

Sesame seeds

Hemp hearts

Chia seeds

Dressings

Ranch

Mayo

Oil and vinegar (just not balsamic)

Caesar

Cooking oils

Avocado oil (best for high temps)

Ghee (best for high temps)

Bacon fat

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Restaurants

These things are usually safe to order.

Cobb salad

Chicken caesar salad

Burger without bread

Most meats + veggies, just be wary of sauces.

Lazy Keto Meals

Keto Chow

Egg salad

Trader Joe's sausage

Trader Joe's Mahi burgers

Trader Joe's Saag Paneer

Misc. packaged treats I like

Quest protein bars

Quest Hero bars (these taste just like a candy bar)

Quest cereal bars (only 100cals)

Kirkland brand protein bars (Costco, cheaper than Quest bars)

85% cacao or higher chocolate Stevia or Monkfruit sweetened chocolate (try Lakanto brand, at Whole Foods)

Halo Top ice cream (Whole Foods)

Unexpected foods

Black soybeans: you thought you couldn’t have beans, think again!

Lupin flour: this is also a bean, made into a flour. Lower calorie than almond flour.

Low carb tortillas: a lot of grocery stores carry these, surprisingly.

Artificial Sweeteners

Some artificial sweeteners are better than others. Always check the ingredients. Some sweeteners have good sugars mixed with bad, like Splenda packets. Avoid those.

Here are the ones that have no/few side effects and don't raise your blood sugar [much, if at all]:

Liquid sucralose (1 drop = 1t sugar! Good for beverages.)

Erythritol (Good for baking. Erythritol has a cooling effect in your mouth, so it's sometimes better as a blend with other sweeteners. I prefer Pyure. Lakanto is also good but pricey.)

Monk fruit extract

Stevia

Allulose

Xylitol (ok in small amounts)

These don't count against your carbs for the day, so if you see "Sugar alcohols" on the nutrition label, you can subtract them from the total carbs.

Avoid:

maltitol

sorbitol

dextrose

maltodextrin

Supplies

I really like netrition.com. They have TONS of specialty low-carb items like bread and jam, and the prices and shipping are reasonable.

Baking

These are the flours I usually bake with.

Almond flour

Oat fiber (NOT oat flour. Use in small amounts, no more than a third of the total flour.)

Coconut flour

Lupin flour

Flaxseed meal

Fasting

Technically, fasting is >3 hours between meals. I eat 3 meals, spaced 5 hours apart.

I've found that eating this way makes me feel better. I have more energy and am less hungry throughout the day. This amounts to about a 12hr fast overnight, and I don't plan to lengthen that time.

Spacing your meals apart this way gives your pancreas a break from producing insulin. When insulin is not being produced, the body gradually releases stores of energy back into the blood as they are needed. This means weight loss.

I still eat snacks, just at the end of a meal instead of waiting a few hours.

Final Thoughts

So, what you're doing is switching your body from burning carbs to burning fat. It'll take your body a few weeks to fully adapt. While you're adapting, you might feel a little more tired than usual...but it should be totally manageable as long as you're getting enough electrolytes.